Rival political groups held simultaneous rallies in Venezuela's capital on Tuesday, marking the start of the presidential election year. The demonstrations highlighted their capacity to attract large crowds, while voters navigate political frustrations and uncertainty surrounding the candidate who will ultimately challenge President Nicolás Maduro.
Proponents of Maduro's ruling party and opposition leader María Corina Machado held demonstrations in Caracas, following the announcement by Venezuela's top prosecutor of the detention of over 30 individuals and arrest warrants for a dozen others.
These individuals are alleged to have been involved in plotting efforts to destabilize the government of the South American country. However, both sides fell short of their previous decade's capacity to gather tens of thousands, failing to intimidate one another with their numbers.
Supporters of Maduro, who are mainly comprised of state workers, ruling-party community leaders, and loyalists of the late President Hugo Chávez, marched through the city. Many of them gathered in the same plaza where Machado, the victor of an October presidential primary election, was scheduled to speak to her own supporters, as per ABC News.
After a significant delay, Machado's supporters decided to leave the plaza, causing traffic to come to a halt. Eventually, she was able to address her supporters from a makeshift stage while they proudly waved Venezuelan flags.
Last year, Maduro and the opposition faction reached an agreement to conduct a presidential election in the latter part of 2024. The agreement, which also emphasizes the importance of free and fair electoral conditions, has provided some relief from US economic sanctions for Maduro's government and has led to the release of several political prisoners.
Maduro is aiming to extend his presidency by another six years, despite the numerous challenges and crises that have plagued his decade in power. The status of his opponent's involvement in the election is still uncertain, despite her overwhelming victory in the primary with over 90% support.
The government has imposed a ban on the former lawmaker's candidacy for public office. Additionally, Attorney General Tarek William Saab has initiated criminal investigations against the organizers of the primary, which was conducted without any endorsement from Venezuela's electoral authorities.
No evidence has been presented by authorities to support the ban on Machado. She has been actively campaigning and emphasizing that voters, rather than ruling-party loyalists, should have the final say in determining her candidacy. Her supporters are becoming increasingly uncertain, which is causing doubts to arise.
Digital marketing manager Yeickson Ramos believes that Machado is the most viable candidate for the opposition to challenge the government. However, during Tuesday's rally, Ramos, 33, recognized the pressing importance for the opposition to establish a plan of action in case the government refuses to lift Machado's ban.
The US-backed opposition surprised both its supporters and opponents with an impressive voter turnout of over 2.4 million people, even in neighborhoods that were traditionally seen as strongholds of the ruling party. Despite facing multiple obstacles and attempts by the government to undermine and discourage participation, the turnout for the contest was remarkably high.
In December, the government of Maduro faced yet another surprise as it conducted a referendum on territorial claims. Voting centers were noticeably empty throughout the entire Election Day, leaving the government taken aback. Maduro and his allies claim that over 10 million people cast their votes.
However, the lack of lengthy queues, which are usually seen during elections organized by the ruling party, highlights their declining ability to rally supporters. This is particularly evident even when individuals are obligated to provide evidence of their participation in order to retain their employment or access specific government perks.
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Venezuelan Voters Seek New Leader
Supporters of Chávez and his self-described socialist policies have often been hesitant to voice their concerns about Maduro, who was chosen by Chávez to govern Venezuela shortly before his passing in 2013. A complex ten-year crisis that has resulted in a significant increase in poverty, combined with recent corruption scandals, has led to a growing willingness to speak out.Leonard Suarez, a Caracas lawyer, has shown support for Chávez and Maduro in past elections.
This year, he expresses his desire to have someone other than Maduro representing Chávez's ideals on the ballot, as he believes that having one person in power for too long leads to corruption. Suarez emphasized the importance of Machado's presence on the ballot, highlighting the significance of democracy.
He stated that her participation would serve as a demonstration of the democratic principles upheld in our country, as he stood near the ruling party's gathering. Machado, a proponent of free-market principles, recently requested Venezuela's highest court to reconsider her prohibition.
The absence of a conclusive decision notwithstanding, the persistence of her candidacy has led to an escalation in repressive measures against her and her associates. In early December, Saab ordered the arrest of three individuals from Machado's campaign team. Saab accused them, without providing any public evidence, of conspiring against the referendum on the territorial dispute.
Meanwhile, Roberto Abdul, a close associate of Machado with whom she co-founded a pro-democracy organization, was detained and subsequently released a few days later as part of a prisoner-swap agreement between Maduro and the US government.
On Tuesday, Machado made allegations against Maduro's government, claiming that the headquarters of her party, Vente Venezuela, had been vandalized. She also expressed her disapproval of the arrest of a state-level campaign manager. In a statement, her party expressed concern over the manager's current location, stating that police officers had arrived at his house "without a court order."
Per Fox News, the US government has warned of potential consequences if Maduro does not ensure a fair presidential election. In a tweet on Tuesday, Brian Nichols, the assistant secretary of state for western hemisphere affairs, restated the position of the Biden administration.
